


Shakespeare

by cosmic_llin



Category: Star Trek: The Next Generation
Genre: Books, Ficlet, Friendship, Gen, Reading, References to Shakespeare, Silly
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-19
Updated: 2016-02-19
Packaged: 2018-05-21 15:56:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 342
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6057391
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cosmic_llin/pseuds/cosmic_llin
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>For the prompt: "bev and deanna and jean-luc reading a book together"</p>
            </blockquote>





	Shakespeare

**Author's Note:**

  * For [sophiagratia](https://archiveofourown.org/users/sophiagratia/gifts).



The noise drew Deanna to the ready room - the captain had asked Beverly in there to “have a quick look at this new edition I’ve acquired” half an hour ago, and now they were talking with voices loud enough to be heard on the bridge. **  
**

The door chime sounded twice before the captain snapped that she could enter.

Whatever she’d expected to find, it wasn’t this. The captain and Beverly were sitting side by side on the couch, a large book spread across both of their knees.

‘Ah, Deanna,’ said the captain. ‘Perhaps you’ll have some useful input. The doctor here is under the impression that Shakespeare is _not_ in fact one of the greatest Earth poets ever to have lived, and that…’

Beverly let out a frustrated growl. ‘I didn’t say that. When did I say that? _All_ I said was that it’s much better to see his work performed than to read it…’

‘I believe, doctor, you also made some tasteless comment about “slapstick and sex jokes”…’

He looked up at Deanna, as if to ask whether she could believe this. Deanna looked a question at Beverly.

‘I might have said that,’ Beverly conceded. ‘And I stand by it.’

‘What do you say, counselor?’ the captain asked.

Deanna grinned. ‘Honestly… I don’t know the first thing about Shakespeare.’

The captain and Beverly wore matching expressions of disbelief.

‘I grew up on Betazed!’ Deanna said. ‘We have enough poets and playwrights of our own without borrowing them from Earth. I hadn’t even heard of Shakespeare until I went to the Academy.’ She forged ahead, daringly. ‘Perhaps the two of you are being a little bit Terracentric? How good can Shakespeare be, really?’

The captain stared at her, his mouth hanging open. Beverly stood up, dragged Deanna over and nudged her down onto the couch. She took the book from the captain and turned the pages until she found the one she wanted.

‘Listen to this, and _then_ tell me what you think,’ she said sternly.

She started to read. Deanna listened.


End file.
